School Daze: a memoir by Ashanté Gills

Chicago-born and raised, Ashanté Gills is an author, community advocate, veteran, and emerging social worker whose work sits at the intersection of child welfare, mental health, and community care. She lives here in the community and serves as Chair of the Health and Wellness Committee for NAACP and is the current President-elect of NAMI Southeast Minnesota, where she creates spaces for conversation, connection, and support.
From teaching yoga and leading emotional literacy workshops to hosting annual etiquette classes for youth, Ashanté uses everyday moments to build confidence, self-awareness, and community. Her work is guided by one belief: villages aren’t just for children; adults need them too.
In her memoir, School Daze, Ashanté reflects on growing up in Chicago and what it meant to balance education with survival. Through this lecture, she will share how those experiences shaped her path into social work and child welfare, offering a deeper look at how grief, poverty, and instability often show up in childhood, and why understanding the story behind behavior matters.
You will not want to miss out on this amazing presentation!
$5 for non-members. FREE for HCOC members.